A group of youths vandalised the office of the daily "Gatishil" and attacked its editor after the newspaper published a story about a brawl.
(Freedom Forum) – A group of youths vandalised the office of the daily “Gatishil” and attacked its editor, Badri Pyakurel, on 6 September 2010. The newspaper is published in Nuwakot district, adjacent to the capital, Kathmandu.
Following a news report on a scuffle where a member of the Battar Village Development Committee (VDC) was hurt, the group of youths resorted to vandalising the newspaper’s office.
“The group came to my office and started vandalising it, saying, ‘Why did you publish news of the brawl?’,” Pyakurel said, adding that “later they all of a sudden pounced on me.”
Freedom Forum is concerned over the incident as it violates the existing legal provisions of Nepal in connection with freedom of the press and freedom of expression. The Code of Conduct for journalists and other laws clearly state that there is a legal remedy for readers to seek justice if any wrongdoings are committed by a newspaper. Attacking the newspaper’s office instead of making use of the legal remedies available to the group of youths is condemnable. Freedom Forum urges the government to investigate the incident and punish those responsible for it.
